


Fairytale

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Angst upon angst with exactly zero comfort, Conquest Route, Dwyer/Shigure is mentioned but not a focal point, End Game, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-16
Updated: 2017-03-16
Packaged: 2018-10-05 19:02:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10314923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: 'Cause I'm in love with a fairytaleEven though it hurts'Cause I don't care if I loose my mindI'm already cursed---Azura knows what she must do.Arthur wants nothing more than for his selfless princess to be selfish, just once.





	

"Azura." 

His normally loud and booming voice is quiet right now, his arms snaked around her as she stares into the darkness of their shared tent. Tomorrow was the day. Tomorrow... she privately wonders if she could avoid all this, if she could save herself.

That wasn't a possibility. If they had any hope to defeat Garon, /save everyone left/, it was this. The only way. Azura almost regrets telling Arthur her plan, what she must do, but... she doesn't want to be alone. She wants him there, so she can remember someone who was good to her for the last few minutes of her life. Her husband, her sons... that was her last moments, ideally.

"Azura, I know you don't want to do this. You don't have to. Corrin and Lady Elise and everyone are strong enough. Please don't put yourself in danger."  
"It's not that simple, Arthur."  
"Please, I don't want to loose you. Shigure and Percy still need you - I still need you."  
"... I don't want to do this, Arthur."  
"Please, then, don't."  
"I need to lower his guard. I need to protect everyone."

There's silence, and Arthur knows he's lost this debate. She was going to do it anyway. He holds her a little tighter, and presses his face into her hair one more time. This is their last night, he knows it, so he tries to fold it all in his memory. The softness of her hair, the way his arms naturally wrap around her, the soft sounds of her breathing. Desperately, he tries to tuck this away, remember it for the days he can't muster the loud, booming hero of justice he worked so hard to be.

Azura can feel his tears, leaking from his eyes as he cries, mumbling so desperately for more time. Please, let him hold her for just a bit longer.

Azura doesn't want to let him know she's crying too, but she flips around anyway and grabs his well worn nightshirt and lets herself cry. Her siblings slaughtered, her home destroyed, and now the only joy among this life she leads is ripped from her, too.

His fingers get tangled in her hair, and they silently cry, hoping that this is the right choice and maybe, just maybe, she'll live.

\---

The fighting rages on for what feels like hours. She hasn't sang for anyone yet - but Arthur hasn't left her side the whole time, overwhelmingly determined to slaughter anyone who dares too close. Percy gets worried and he convinces Shigure to come back to his mother and father, the older leaving his boyfriend with a gentle peck before going to make sure his mother is alright.

That's when things change, and the body of the former prince of Hoshido comes from nowhere.

Azura swallows hard and glances to her family, who she instructed to run for the sidelines. Arthur shakes his head, feeling the tears rush back because she has to, she has to.

She has to sing now, and he can't save her from it. The puppeted corpse is too strong - she needs to sing.

Arthur practically rushes to her side, followed by his sons. The boys are confused but he grabs her shoulders, stopping Azura right before she opens her mouth.

"Please, be selfish for once in your life! Save yourself! Azura, please!" He begs, one last time, hoping she'd listen to him and save herself. Why, why was luck so cruel? 

Her eyes are tearful and she shakes her head, but doesn't let him move.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I can't."

No words could have broken him more in that moment. The hero of Nohr feels his body shatter, his chest thud and his eyes water and there's nothing he can do as she begins to sing a familiar song.

He stays close to her, determined more than ever to protect Azura. Percy sends Shigure a worried look, but follows his dad in suit as the older of the two stands guard next to his mother. His blissful unawareness causes Shigure to join in, singing with her, and Arthur can't even begin to imagine how Shigure will feel knowing that he was singing his last duet with his mother. Arthur fights. He fights, and fights, and puts everything he has into fighting back the hoards of monsters, because he knows after this he'll have nothing left but the peices of his kids to pick up.

The final blow on the puppeted corpse of Takumi is struck, though Arthur almost wishes the fight would go on just so this wouldn't happen. As the royal family gathers, chattering and preparing for the future in the halls of the forgien castle, Arthur shouts for his sons as Azura falls to the ground. The hero scoops her up and he runs - somewhere, anywhere, just away from the place that was a battlefield. Percy and Shigure leave their mounts behind to run after their father, shouting after him and begging him not to trip.

He's made it to the castle foyer when it begins. Splotches of blue that remind him of those wretched monsters that killed his son's village and hurt his family begans appearing on her body as bubbles starts to float away. Arthur stops, kneeling on the floor as he sets her down, his hands trembling and the wetness in his eyes still there. Percy and Shigure finally catch up, and Arthur feels regret build up when he hears Percy scream and Shigure gasp.

"MOM!"

Percy can't stop himself, the splotches grow and the bubbles become so numerous that he starts to bawl, clinging to Azura's other side as Arthur holds her. He's begging, just like his dad, for her to stay, they have more hero work to be done, more people to save, more songs to sing, please don't leave. Shigure kneels next to his little brother, his eyes red as he begins to cry himself. He doesn't beg or plead, but he just holds her hand and cries, silently.

"Dad! We can't let her go! Corrin came back! We can bring her back too! Mom has to come back!" Percy looks to his father, finding him more broken than he's ever wanted his sons to see. 

"Percy... Shigure... I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I didn't want you to worry about me. I'll be okay. I'm scared, but I'm okay. Please, boys, smile for me, okay?" Azura tries to smile herself, but the splotches are numerous and her voice is wavering. Arthur starts to tremble, but he wipes his tears away.

"S-she's right, boys. We won't see her for a while - so let's send her off with a smile, okay? I won't stop looking for you, Azura." He promises, thought he can't tell if he made it up to make himself feel better or if he actually believes he'll find her again.

Percy tries to smile, but he bites his lip to try to stop sobbing. Shigure, though quiet, smiles, but he can't keep it on very long either.

"I-I love you, mom!" The wyvern rider spills, wiping his eyes again and attempting a bright grin.

"I love you, mother." Shigure manages to not stutter, but the fact he's keeping to together for Percy's sake is plainly obvious now.

"I love you, Azura." Arthur whispers, and feigns a smile.

She just smiles herself as the bubbles take over.

"I love you too."


End file.
